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> F250 - Diesel or gas?

Tayook
post Jun 28 2010, 10:39 AM
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Group: Members
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Joined: 24-June 10
Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



We bought the 1987 SunLINE, but are having serious doubts about our F150 hauling it.

Not sure what was going on with me for the last post, but the our truck is a short bed and the camper is for an 8 ft bed. Guy we are getting it from hauls it on his Ram 2500 with a short bed, tailgate down, but he said it is extremely heavy. He said he could feel it pretty good using his 2500, which makes us worry about our F150 even more.

We have been looking at getting a F250 for a while now and this is cementing the idea. Having trouble finding a good deal on a diesel, which is what we perfer. Should we settle for a gas? What are your experiences with them? Did you opt of diesel or gas and why?

Thanks in advance!

ps - We need a cable to connect the camper lights to the truck wiring system. Anyone have a name for what we are looking for? Also, is there any type of adapter that would allow two sets of wiring to be connect to the truck. One for the camper and one for our bass boat trailer?
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aqualung
post Jun 29 2010, 07:39 AM
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Group: Members
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Joined: 3-February 10
Member No.: 3,725
Favorite Truck Camper(s): Adventurer 90FWS
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge 3500 Dually Quadcab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 Adventurer 90FWS Torklift Tiedowns with SuperHitch and SuperTruss Firestone Air Bags Torklift Load Stabilizers Fastgun Turnbuckles



Wiring Harness:

Torklift makes the wiring harness you need:
http://www.torklift.com/p.php?w_page=wiring_harnesses

You can make up your own harness, its not really all that hard. Buy the plug and two sockets plus the 7 conductor trailer wire. Your local RV dealership should be able to help you out with this stuff. As for hooking it up, white goes to white, black to black, blue to blue, red to red, green to green etc etc etc... you get the picture... its all color coded. The white and black wires are a heavier gauage since they're the 12V battery power plus the ground, then the blue is the next heaviest gauge since its the trailer brake wire. The rest are for lights and auxiliary stuff so they aren't that heavy a gauge.

As for the truck, diesel is the way to go. Once you get all that weight on the truck, the low end torque of a diesel can't be beat. I would suggest a dually truck if you can swing it. the weights of a camper and trailer really add up and the extra load capacity and stabilty of a dually really help out.

I opted for a diesel dually for the reasons stated above. I decided on a Cummins diesel which pushed me at a Dodge truck. I do like the Ford F-350 but not the International built PowerStroke. The new Ford built PowerStroke sounds like a much more reliable engine but the jury is still out. As for the Duramax, I have too many frustrated friends with injector problems on thier Duramaxs, not to say that the newer ones aren't better but......

Hope this helps.
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KY_Campers
post Jun 29 2010, 09:16 AM
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QUOTE(Tayook @ Jun 28 2010, 11:39 AM)
We bought the 1987 SunLINE, but are having serious doubts about our F150 hauling it. 

Not sure what was going on with me for the last post, but the our truck is a short bed and the camper is for an 8 ft bed. Guy we are getting it from hauls it on his Ram 2500 with a short bed, tailgate down, but he said it is extremely heavy. He said he could feel it pretty good using his 2500, which makes us worry about our F150 even more.

I have a 02 F-150 king cab, and short bed..... My camper is a Sun Lite... When I haul my camper, I have to leave my tailgate down.... I also put ''Firestone Airbags'' on my truck, and it really helped!, and I always tow a boat when we go camping.

You might have to put ''airbags'' on your truck...IMHO


QUOTE(Tayook @ Jun 28 2010, 11:39 AM)
We have been looking at getting a F250 for a while now and this is cementing the idea. Having trouble finding a good deal on a diesel, which is what we perfer. Should we settle for a gas? What are your experiences with them? Did you opt of diesel or gas and why?

Thanks in advance!

ps - We need a cable to connect the camper lights to the truck wiring system. Anyone have a name for what we are looking for? Also, is there any type of adapter that would allow two sets of wiring to be connect to the truck. One for the camper and one for our bass boat trailer?
*



I've been looking at new F-250 diesel trucks for a couple months now..... I also tow a 20ft trailer with a John Deere tractor on it with my F-150, and it handles it great, But I have always wanted a F-250 diesel.... A diesel is the right way to go if you do a lot of hauling/towing!!!

I'm just having a hard time deciding on a ''crew cab'', or just a king cab.... If I get a crew cab long bed.... That will be a long truck!!! biggrin.gif

On your plug:..... Doesn't your F-150 have a ''4 pin connector'' from the factory ??

My 02 F-150 came with one, and I put a 7 pin on for my equipment trailer.... On my camper I have a ''7 pin plug'', and also wired another ''4 pin'' from it, and I can use any of the two when I pull my boat.

I can take a picture if you want to see it ??


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Tayook
post Jun 29 2010, 03:06 PM
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Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 24-June 10
Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



Thanks for the info. I am a sucker for any photos you can provide.

We do not want to do any work on the truck. It has been a reliable work truck, but it is reaching the end of its days. Do not want to sink any more money into it only to get a new one in a a year or two, which was the original plan. Getting offered this camper just hurried it up a bit.

Our boat has a four way plug and the truck came with one. When we pulled a horse trailer we actually made an adapter to bypass the breaks so we have a seven way to four way adapter all ready.

But that is not our problem. We just do not have the cable at all. The guy we bought it from explained what we needed, but did not really have a name for it.

Thanks again!
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Tayook
post Jun 29 2010, 04:56 PM
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Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 24-June 10
Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



Another question regarding gas/diesel.

The truck will only be used to haul maybe 5 (10 max) times a year and not great distances. With that info would it still be beneficial to spend the money on a diesel?

Other than that it will only be used as a daily driver. Horrible choice as a daily driver I know, but we need a truck.
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KY_Campers
post Jun 30 2010, 05:52 AM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: ......
Type of Tiedowns used: .......
Truck and Camper Setup: .........



QUOTE(Tayook @ Jun 29 2010, 04:06 PM)
Our boat has a four way plug and the truck came with one. When we pulled a horse trailer we actually made an adapter to bypass the breaks so we have a seven way to four way adapter all ready.

But that is not our problem. We just do not have the cable at all. The guy we bought it from explained what we needed, but did not really have a name for it.

Thanks again!
*


On the back of your camper..... Do you have the wires that goes to the lights ??....So you can put the plug on..... (Like aqualung said)...It's very easy!

Here's a picture of my plugs.


user posted image

When I pull my boat I have to use an extension hitch.... I had to add more cable wire on my boat trailer so it would reach to plug in.


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aqualung
post Jun 30 2010, 07:21 AM
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Group: Members
Posts: 165
Joined: 3-February 10
Member No.: 3,725
Favorite Truck Camper(s): Adventurer 90FWS
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge 3500 Dually Quadcab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 Adventurer 90FWS Torklift Tiedowns with SuperHitch and SuperTruss Firestone Air Bags Torklift Load Stabilizers Fastgun Turnbuckles



I know the extra money for the diesel is a big pill to swallow but I'd still say its worth it. Once you have the camper and truck and find out how convenient it is to travel with I'm sure you'll want to start doing more and longer trips.

My last big trip convinced me that a gas engine just wasn't up to the challenge. The trip was through Colorado and Utah. We had a gas engine for that trip hauling only our ATV trailer and it was rough on the truck and my nerves. Talk abut a white knuckle drive! On some of those mountain passes, the gas engine was winding out at 5000rpm down in 1st gear and it was struggling at that. Our friends with us on the trip had the 5.9L Cummins in thier 3500 and it didn't break a sweat on those same roads. With the extra weight of a camper... well we'd still be trying to get up those same pass roads.

I may be biased towards diesel engines but thats all I own now. Both our truck and car are diesels and I'm really happy with both. The mileage is much better with a diesel and the engines will last a lifetime. The car and truck bodies will fall apart around the engines first. So if you look at it as the cost of buying the diesel amoritized over the life of the vehicle, then the diesel is going to be less expensive. I know its a much bigger expense up front but in the long run I think its a better choice.
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Tayook
post Jun 30 2010, 09:11 PM
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Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 24-June 10
Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



The camper does not have any wires. There is an "outlet" on the camper under the cabover that the guy says the cable will connect to the truck plug with this "cable" we need.

As far as the diesel F250, it will probably be put on hold. We are having problems finding any in our price range that are within a reasonable driving distance. Until then we are going to have some extra leaf spring put in to help our F150 out. We have friends that own a garage and used leaf springs are pretty easy to come by. We will see how it works.

Hopefully I will have some photos to post after the weekend. Thanks a bunch for the help so far.
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Tayook
post Jun 30 2010, 09:16 PM
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Group: Members
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Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



Another question. The top utility panel is missing off the drivers side. Any ideas where I could get another one?
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BobC
post Jun 30 2010, 10:03 PM
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QUOTE(Tayook @ Jun 30 2010, 10:11 PM)
The camper does not have any wires. There is an "outlet" on the camper under the cabover that the guy says the cable will connect to the truck plug with this "cable" we need.

As far as the diesel F250, it will probably be put on hold. We are having problems finding any in our price range that are within a reasonable driving distance. Until then we are going to have some extra leaf spring put in to help our F150 out. We have friends that own a garage and used leaf springs are pretty easy to come by. We will see how it works.

Hopefully I will have some photos to post after the weekend. Thanks a bunch for the help so far.
*


It sounds like you need a 7 way pigtail with 2 male ends to hook your camper up to your truck.
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Tayook
post Jul 1 2010, 10:14 AM
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Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 24-June 10
Member No.: 4,477
Favorite Truck Camper(s): SunLINE
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: SunLINE
Type of Tiedowns used: N/A
Truck and Camper Setup: F-150 with SunLINE Sportster



Thanks for the links! Can't wait to get some photo to post!
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pjviitas
post Jul 2 2010, 02:15 PM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): Adventurer
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F-150
Type of Tiedowns used: None
Truck and Camper Setup: None yet



QUOTE(Tayook @ Jun 29 2010, 02:56 PM)
Another question regarding gas/diesel.

The truck will only be used to haul maybe 5 (10 max) times a year and not great distances. With that info would it still be beneficial to spend the money on a diesel?

Other than that it will only be used as a daily driver. Horrible choice as a daily driver I know, but we need a truck.
*



I think the payback on a diesel is something like 4 years...there is an article somewhere on the internet on it.

So if you are going to keep your truck for more than 4 years, having the extra torque of a diesel engine is a hands down no brainer.

The only justification for getting a diesel engine for less than 4 years is if you actually need it...in which case there is no point in even thinking about a payback period...if you need it you need it.
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